Only Exception
by HarleyQuinnClownPrincess
Summary: He's her only exception please r&r rated m for safety, might turn Spawn later on
1. Chapter 1

The Bronze, how he missed this place after he left. After everything that happened and him leaving he stopped doing most things he wouldn't have dreamt of stopping, for one his once bleach blonde locks were now shaggy and dirty blond, his beloved duster was dirty and ripped. He had let himself go after the one he thought he actually loved practically threw him out 'her' town and shacked up with Giles of all people. He sighed and made his way over to the bar. He was tired, fed-up, and hungry. _Fucking chip _he cursed in his head, the chip sparked lightly as if mocking him. He didn't know why he hadn't had it removed a long time ago; he shook his head and ordered a beer. Ignoring all the demons and humans milling around him. He started to remember why he stopped coming here, the place stunk of the slayer and her scoobies, and yet he couldn't seem to pull himself off the stool and walk out. A few demons a little down the bar from him were talking amongst themselves about some singing wonder that sang here often and how one thought he had seen her at the local strip club that opened about a year ago near the mall. He shrugged it off returning to his beer; he could feel the bartender staring at him as if trying to remember who he was. "Spike?" he finally spoke. Spike looked up and rolled his eyes as he was now faced with Buffy's ex-fling GI Joe. Reilly walked over to him with an all too happy smile on his face. "Never thought I'd see you again," he said cheerily while thrusting his hand in Spike's direction. Spike scoffed and looked away from his hand. "Still mad about the chip thing I see"

"Mad, hardly covers what I feel about this chip mate," he snarled.

"Well if I could I'd help out but every one from the experiment left town for good about 4 months back, couldn't handle living on the hell mouth" Reilly almost laughed. "So you here with Buffy?" Spike almost laughed out loud

"I see why she dumped you mate, not that bright are ya?" the smile on Reilly's face fell.

"Hey man I'm just trying to be friendly"

"Well it's unwanted" Spike snarled, "If you must know Buffy shacked up with the book boy"

"Xander? Wow never saw that coming"

"No, not that half-wit. Giles"

"Giles!" Spike could smell the anger coming off the younger male

"Just spreading the word. Dunno if they're still a thing, only just got back" Spike added before getting up and walking into the crowd to see what was up on stage. A small Goth-looking girl stood with the mic in her small hands looking out on the crowd, Spike looked at her he could smell her fear from there, he chuckled to him self about the teens of this age so scared of everything. The goth girl finally spoke

"Now the ones you've been waiting all night for, Autumn Night!" the people around him went crazy as the small girl walked off stage and three men replaced her. He waited for someone to come on and take them mic but no one came, they started playing and a confused Spike just waited. Suddenly a voice came from the dark and almost entranced Spike

_Close your eyes and make believe  
This is where you want to be  
Forgetting all the memories,  
Try to forget love cause love's forgotten me  
Well hey, hey baby, it's never too late pretty soon you won't remember a thing  
And I'll be distant, the stars reminiscing  
Your heart's been wasted on me_

_Sorry its so short, its all I could think of until next chapter._

_Damien. _


	2. Chapter 2

_**Sorry I've been gone so long**_

Ch. 2

She stood looking at herself in the mirror, she was constantly hearing how no one recognized her anymore '_good_' she thought to her self, she didn't want to be recognized she was no longer Buffy's little sister…. She was no longer little. She smirked at her self in the mirror, all the slayer training she had done with the potentials had done her body good, her chest had filled out to it full potential (an almost over flowing D cup), you could clearly make out her ribs and her hip bones protruded from her flesh. "Dinner!" a voice called down the hall towards her room "Be out in a minute" she called back. She threw on a pair of oversized track pants and a grey t-shirt that fit like a second skin. She shivered as her bare feet touched the cheap tiles in her apartment "What'cha cookin' Tar?" she asked resting her chin on the blonde woman's shoulder.

"Spaghetti" she smiled, a small blush playing on the older woman's cheeks _"Good ol'Tara"_ she smiled to herself

"Hey, I need a new song! What one do you think I should dance to babe?" she asked flipping her insanely long hair over one shoulder looking at their cd collection

"What's wrong with the song you have now?" Tara asked setting the table

"I dance almost every night baby, you know how boring Nickleback's Animal gets after almost 2 months of playing it?"

"I guess it would get rather annoying" Tara agreed, she nodded "How about you dish while I look?" she nodded standing up, she handed the cds to Tara before heading to the kitchen "How about this one?" Tara yelled, she piled spaghetti on to their plates waiting for the song to start; she could hear it softly as it began not really registering what song it was until Tara turned it up as the lyrics began

_Hey little sister what have you done  
Hey little sister who's the only one  
Hey little sister who's your superman  
Hey little sister who's the one you want  
Hey little sister shot gun!_

The spoon in her hand fell to the floor

_It's a nice day to start again  
It's a nice day for a white wedding  
It's a nice day to start again._

_Hey little sister what have you done  
Hey little sister who's the only one  
I've been away for so long (so long)  
I've been away for so long (so long)  
I let you go for so long_

Tears pricked at her eyes as she reached down to pick up the spoon

_It's a nice day to start again (come on)  
It's a nice day for a white wedding  
It's a nice day to start again._

Take me back home  
There is nothin' fair in this world  
There is nothin' safe in this world  
And there's nothin' sure in this world  
And there's nothin' pure in this world  
Look for something left in this world  
Start again  
Come on

His face flashed in her mind as all the memories she fought to suppress once again resurfaced

_It's a nice day for a white wedding  
It's a nice day to start again.  
It's a nice day for a white wedding  
It's a nice day to start again_

Unnoticed tears fell form her eyes as she watched him turn away from her and walk down the street not once looking back as she screamed his name after him. "Dawn?" Tara's voice brought her out of her thoughts "Dawn what's wrong?"

"Nothing just haven't been able to listen to this song for a long time" she admitted

"Because of Sp-" Dawn stopped her from saying his name by pressing her finger to the blonde witches lips.

"How about we have dinner before I have to go to work" she smiled whipping the tearstains form her face. Tara nodded wondering why Spike leaving had such an effect on Dawn, sure they had gotten close when Buffy had died but when Buffy came back it was as if they hated each other, Dawn had even threatened to set him on fire in his sleep. Tara shook her head and sat down to her dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch 3

Dawn entered the demon owed strip club, on the short drive she had decided that she would dance to Animal for one more night unable to bring her self to admit Tara was right and that she should dance to White Wedding, but it would take a lot of work to be able to hear the song and not be reminded of him, it was sad she couldn't even think about let alone see Billy Idol without picking out everyone of their similarities. She mentally shook her self as she made her way to the back where the dressing room was, though it should really be the _un_dressing room considering where they were. "Jesus Dawn! Where the fuck have you been!" one of the girls yelled

"Sorry Tara needed the car so I had to walk" she retorted quickly, stripping her trench coat from her body. She stood before the mirror in a black mesh gypsy skirt that showed off her green g-string along with a black fishnet shirt and green bra, she applied her make-up and fixed her hair. She slipped on her now notorious lime green heels with six-inch heels before sitting in her usual chair, closing her eyes and calming her frazzled nerves.

Spike was happy his crypt was still standing and uninhabited, he noticed upon arrival a very fresh and very familiar sent that he couldn't place mingled with the sent of tears, it confused him that someone would come to his crypt to cry unless they had known him, but no one who's known him before he'd left would have cared enough to still cry over him almost five years later, not even the Nibblet. Nibblet, he thought he'd missed her the entire time he was gone it hurt how he had pushed her away in his last few days in Sunnyhell knowing Buffy was going to do something to him, he just didn't know what, it was better she hated him less pain for the Bit. He thought the woman he's seen a few nights before was Dawn, but shook the idea from his head there was no way Big Sis would let little Dawn be in a band. Plus the woman had black hair and Dawn had beautiful brown hair and a tan, the woman had been as pale as he was, no that couldn't have been his Bit.

He jumped when his door was forcefully thrown open, he took his stance ready to fight the beastie that dared come in his home. His stance dropped as he recognized the vampire in front of him "I don't believe it, never thought I'd see your ugly mug again" the vampire laughed

"Yeah well, here I am" he sighed throwing his arms up then letting them drop unceremoniously back to his sides.

"How 'bout a drink? There's this great little strip joint downtown now, you should see the girls!" he licked his lips "Sunnyhell's finest them girls. There's this one, everyone goes to see her, and she got this sexy little belly dance routine, man you haven't seen erotic till you've watched her dance"

"Yeah sure why not" Spike said waving his hand towards the door, it was better than running into the slayer.

Dawn peaked around the curtain waiting for her turn on the pole; she didn't have to wait long as Kitty finished her dance "Now welcome Spike" the DJ growled her stage name, her heart clenched she didn't know what she was thinking when she had picked that as her name, she shook her head and swayed her way out on stage. She smirked as her song started; she could pick out the newcomers, the new one always gawked, she laughed in her head as she swayed her hips beginning her take on a sped up belly dancing routine, before stripping what little clothes she wore and utilizing the pole. She could feel someone's gaze burning holes into her flesh, she was used to people staring at her but this was different. She moved off the pole to remove the rest of the clothes that were left, when she located the source of the burning gaze, he was in the back but she could make out his eyes, she almost froze as blue met green but she broke contact shrugging it off as coincidence and went back to her job.

Dawn sighed as she turned the doorknob to her apartment meaning Tara had fallen asleep. She quietly let her self in, she quietly laughed as she found the older woman neatly laid out on the couch, her face glowing in the faint light from the TV. She smiled draping a blanket over the sleeping woman; she kissed her forehead before making her way to their room and flopping down on the bed. Her cell phone vibrated violently in her small purse, grumbling she grabbed it almost blinded by the light the screen emitted "Hello?" she grumbled

_Did I wake you up?_ A female voice asked, Dawn sat up in bed suddenly not tired anymore

"No, is everything ok? You never call me this early" she stated hurriedly, worried for her sisters' well being.

_Everything is fine I just need a favor_

"I'll be over in 20 minutes, but you owe me" Dawn hung up not waiting for an answer; she contemplated waking Tara but decided to wait and pack stuff for her. She shook the witch gently "Tar you need to wake up babe. Buffy needs us to baby sit the house" she smiled as the woman's eyes fluttered open "You can go back to sleep when we get there k?" the witch nodded groggily "I packed some stuff for you, it's in the car already" the witch nodded again.

Dawn parked on the road in front of her "childhood" home, she'd really only lived there for at least three years if not less before moving in with Tara after Buffy threw Spike out of town. She loved Buffy and all but she couldn't be around her after she'd done that, and her lovey-dovey shit with Giles just threw her off completely. Dawn put her arm around the sleepy witch and helped her into the house, she didn't even bother knocking, she put her bag down by the door and scooped Tara up carrying her upstairs to her old room that was now used as a guest bedroom. Buffy and Giles slept in their mother's room, it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would.

She was met in the kitchen by Buffy holding out a much needed cup of coffee for her, made just the way she liked it one sugar no cream. "Have you been sleeping at all Dawn?"

"I sleep when I can Buff, sometimes I just don't have time to sleep with the band doing so well I drive a lot" she semi-lied, she hadn't told Buffy that for the last few months she'd been working at the strip club.

"So that's why you weren't asleep when I called?" Dawn nodded

"Gig ran late, I'd only just gotten home" she sipped her coffee gratefully "So where you off to this time?"

"Rupert caught wind of some scrolls in China that could be very useful to us" Dawn almost choked on her coffee when Buffy had used Giles' first name

"I'm never going to get used to that…" she mumbled

"I didn't think I would either but I did" she smiled

"It's nice to see you happy for once" Dawn giggled

"How are you and Tara?"

"Why doesn't any body believe were not dating? I mean she's five years older than me, plus I don't see Tara like that she's my best friend… has been since you died" Dawn sighed

"I think it's just the way you two act around each other, I mean you act like an old married couple," Buffy giggled

"Well we have lived together for five years, so common law says we are married" Dawn laughed

"What's so funny in here?" Giles' voice carried through the hall

"Morning Giles, Buffy was just bugging me about how Tara and I are like an old married couple" she giggled as she stood up and hugged the only father figure she'd actually encountered, he hugged her back kissing her forehead before moving over to his wife and kissing her "Oh man I'm never going to get used to that" Dawn laughed

"No one asked you to watch" Buffy smirked, Dawn grabbed her coffee

"Ok, I'll be in the living room then"

"There's no need for that, we'll be leaving soon"

"Mommy, what's going on?" a small voice pulled all three sets of eyes to the door way


	4. Chapter 4

Ch 4

"Mommy, what's going on?" a small voice pulled all three sets of eyes to the door way, Dawn smiled as she watched the small child, rub her eye with one hand while holding her teddy in the other dragging him on the floor. Buffy scooped the small blonde up from the floor and placed her on her hip

"We didn't mean to wake you baby, Mommy and Daddy have to go away for a few days but Auntie Dawn and Auntie Tara are going to look after you" Buffy explained, the child's eyes snapped to Dawn, who she had clearly only just noticed. Dawn laughed as the small child wiggled out of her mother's arms and rushed over to her, Dawn caught the child and hoisted her up in the air

"Mornin' cupcake" she smiled, the child laughed snuggling her head into Dawn's neck

"Morning Auntie"

"Now Danielle, I want you to be a good girl for aunt Dawn" Giles said picking up his daughters small chin, two figured joined the four. Dawn recognized the two as Faith and Andrew, Dawn nodded towards the two before turning her attention towards Danielle

"What do you say we go back upstairs and back to sleep Danni?" she nodded sleepily, Buffy and Giles kissed and hugged Danielle goodbye and hugged Dawn "Be careful, I'll take over grave duty while your gone" Buffy nodded as Dawn made her way up the stairs carefully. She set Danielle down on her bed "Do you want me to stay till you fall asleep?" Dawn asked, the small blonde nodded, Dawn took off her shoes and coat and almost laughed at the situation it was almost exactly like every night during the months Buffy was dead. She remembered she would sit in front of Buffy and their mom's grave crying until she was exhausted, then out of no where Spike would show up scoop her up whispering sweet nothings to her, carry her home and then stay with her while she cried herself to sleep. She smiled sadly and lied on her back, just as Spike used to, Danielle curled up beside her, her small head on Dawn's shoulder. Dawn draped her arm around the child and pressed her mouth to Danielle's head, willing her self not to cry

"Auntie?" her small voice pulled her out of her thoughts

"Yeah Bit?" she had always used Spike's nicknames for her with Danni, when they were alone

"Who's Spike?"

"Where'd you hear that name?" Dawn asked, not moving she didn't trust her self not to burst into tears

"Mommy and Daddy were talking about a Spike a while ago but wouldn't tell me who it was" Dawn almost sighed, of course they wouldn't Buffy had thoroughly instilled in Danni that all vampires and demons were bad and told her never trust them.

"Spike was a friend of mommy and I, he used to help mommy fight the demons and vampires. He looked after me when mommy was having a hard time when grandma went to heaven and helped me get through the months when mommy had to go see grandma so she could save me from that nasty hell-god Glory and you know what Bit, he was my best friend" she blinked away the tears forming in her eyes as she smiled

"Daddy didn't like Spike, Daddy said nasty things about him and Mommy said he was a soul-less vampire" Danni said straight up, Dawn sighed she was going to get it for saying what she was about to

"Well Nibblet, mommy is right. Spike was a soul-less vampire for a very long time, but when he came to help mommy, after five years of fighting along side mommy he decided to go and look for a way to get his soul back, and he did. So yes Spike was a vampire but he did have a soul. And Daddy didn't like Spike because Daddy couldn't handle a little competition" Dawn laughed, Danni nodded clearly tired again

"Will you sign for me?" she asked innocently, Dawn smiled

"Of course Bit" Dawn said pulling the small girl closer to her "Any requests?" Danni yawned

"The song you wrote for Spike" Dawn blinked staring at the child

"How did you know I wrote it for Spike?" Danni giggled

"Please Auntie, I'm not stupid I knew when you started talking about him that it was for him" Dawn smiled

"Smart girl you are"

"Well look who my dad is, it's in my jeans" Danni smiled, Dawn giggled

"I think you mean g-e-n-e-s Bit" Danni held up her small hand

"Please I know what I'm talking about. Now please sing?" Dawn laughed nodding and started humming the beginning of the song

_When I was younger  
I saw my daddy cry  
And curse at the wind  
He broke his own heart  
And I watched  
As he tried to reassemble it_

And my momma swore that  
She would never let herself forget  
And that was the day that I promised  
I'd never sing of love  
If it does not exist

Dawn ran her fingers through Danni's long blonde hair, like Spike used to do to her, she always wanted to be there for the child like Spike had been there for her

_But darling,  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception_

Maybe I know, somewhere  
Deep in my soul  
That love never lasts  
And we've got to find other ways  
To make it alone  
Keep a straight face

Dawn leaned her head back against the pillows, tear escaping the corners of her eyes but her voice never wavered, it wasn't the first time she had sung this song to Danni and she was sure it wouldn't be the last, but in her heart she knew the one person she wanted to hear the song never would.

_And I've always lived like this  
Keeping a comfortable, distance  
And up until now  
I had sworn to myself that I'm  
Content with loneliness_

Because none of it was ever worth the risk

Well, You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception

Dawn was unaware of the audience outside Danni's door as she continued to sing the small girl to sleep. Tears ran down Buffy's face, she knew Dawn used to have a childish crush of the blonde vampire but she hadn't realized it had been so sever. Giles put his arm around his wife as he listened to Dawn's voice

_I've got a tight grip on reality  
But I can't  
Let go of what's in front of me here  
I know you're leaving  
In the morning, when you wake up  
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream_

Ohh-

You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception  
You, are, the only exception

And I'm on my way to believing  
Oh, And I'm on my way to believing

Dawn wiped her face with her sleeve, pulling the small frame tighter against hers "I love you Danni, don't you ever forget that" she whispered in the girls ear, remembering how Spike used to do the same when he thought she'd fallen asleep. She looked up as the door creaked open and Buffy poked her head in "Can I talk to you?" she asked in a hushed voice, Dawn nodded moving out from under the sleeping child carefully. Once downstairs Buffy flung her arms around her younger sister, breaking into tears once again "I'm so sorry, I had no idea!" Buffy sobbed, Dawn put her arms around the crying woman

"What are you talking about Buffy?" Dawn asked pulling her sister away from her a little

"Spike, I had no idea how you felt about him" she continued to sob, Dawn sighed pulling her back to her

"It's fine, it's not like the feelings were reciprocated. I'm doing ok now, it's not like I needed him to survive or anything. You did what you thought was necessary and it's fine. I'll find someone else Buff, I'll be fine" Dawn explained calmly, even though her heart and soul were screaming at her. Buffy nodded wiping her face

"Hey B, we gotta jet" Faith said peaking around the corner, Buffy nodded to the other Slayer before walking towards the door

"Oh Dawn, thank you for explaining to Danni about Spike and what he meant to us. I couldn't bring my self to do it and I wouldn't let Rupert tell her, god knows the hateful things he'd put in her head about him" Dawn nodded

"Go, you'll miss your flight" Buffy hugged her, kissing her cheek "I love you Buff"

"I love you too Dawnie" Dawn smiled, no one had called her that in a long time it was nice to hear, once the door had shut she made her way back up to Danni's room where she laid beside the child, memories flashed in her mind

_She stood watching him walk away from her, Buffy had tried to pull her away from the retreating figure but she had ripped her arm away from the Slayer and stood there. Everyone had left her and she could no longer see him. "I love you Spike, don't you ever forget that," she whispered as she turned and walked back to her home on Rovello Drive to pack her things. _

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters except Danielle. The song is The Only Exception by Paramore.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch 5

Dawn woke up before Danni and Tara; she smiled as she brushed some hair out of the five year olds face before making her way downstairs to the kitchen. She started a pot of fresh coffee and gathered everything she would need to make pancakes. She hummed to her self as she mixed the batter, her mind reeling away on a new song, once the batter was done she pulled out a sheet of paper and began scribbling down the lyrics her mind had cooked up, at the top of the page she made a few notes on possibly doing the song on piano or acoustic or even piano with a violin. She whispered the new lyrics to herself as she began cooking the batter; the smell was sure to rouse the two sleeping bodies upstairs. On about her third round of pancakes she could hear someone moving around upstairs she smiled as she heard the shower turn on, she grabbed a mug out of the cupboard and filled it with steaming coffee, when Tara was done her shower it would be the perfect temperature for the witch. Soon after the shower turned off, softer footsteps could be heard on the floor above before running their way down the steps "You watch yourself Danielle Giles! I will not show sympathy if you break your leg!" Dawn called over her shoulder, she almost laughed when she head the footsteps become slower.

"Mmmmm those smell good!" Danni squealed

"Doesn't your mother ever cook for you?" Dawn asked, before remembering Buffy's cooking "On second thought that's probably a good thing" she laughed

"Where's auntie Tara?" she asked looking around the room

"Right here" Tara smiled coming up behind the small girl

"Auntie Tara!" Danni yelled running to the witch, Dawn smiled as she watched them interact.

"Morning babe" Dawn said smiling at the older woman

"Morning" Tara smiled back

"All right cupcake, here's your pancakes" Dawn said setting down a plate and hoisting the girl up on to the stool. She turned back and put a small amount of sugar in Tara's coffee before handing it to her along with a small plate of pancakes. "I didn't think you would want as many as piglet over there" she laughed as the small girl tried to give Dawn her best glare "So cupcake how about when your done demolishing those pancakes we get you in the bath and then go see Nana?" Danni nodded, her mouth too stuffed with food to answer.

After her bath Dawn dressed Danni in a pair of black shorts and a pink top "You get anything on that top and so help me your mother will have my head" Dawn laughed, Danni smiled mischievously "Don't even think about it girl! I know that look" Danni smiled up at her innocently and Dawn just rolled her eyes. Dawn came down the stairs just as Tara was grabbing her coat to leave for work

"You sure your ok with me taking the car?" Tara asked quietly

"Of course, Buffy left me the keys for the SUV. We'll be fine, right cupcake?"

"Right" Danni said smiling up at Tara, Tara smiled

"OK, see you two for lunch?"

"Duh" Danni answered, the older women laughed as Tara walked out the door.

"So Bit, shall we stop and get Nana some pretty flowers?"

"Yeah!" Danni responded excitedly.

The grass squished under their feet as it had rained during the night, Joyce's grave was on the opposite side of the entrance gate unfortunately close to Spike's old crypt. Danni carefully held the flowers they had bought close to her chest and Dawn carried a blanket, Dawn looked down at the child sadly, it wasn't fair that she who wasn't even real had been able to meet such a great woman but her own blood never even had the chance. Dawn knew it was silly to be upset about it as it was no ones fault that Joyce had died but it still upset her that Danni would never have a proper grandmother figure, as Giles was old enough to be her grandparent so surely his parents would be gone as well. She mentally sighed as they neared the grave, she noticed flowers set before the grave she knew Buffy hadn't left them there, they always visited Joyce together and no one else in town visited Joyce's grave. She crouched down and picked up the flowers, black roses, only three people knew that black roses were Joyce's favorite flowers herself, Buffy… and Spike. Her heart clenched, thinking that he'd only come back to Sunnydale to see her mom; she shook her head no he wouldn't do that.

Danni watched her aunt stare at the flowers someone had left at her Nana's grave, wondering who left the flowers and why it looked like it hurt her aunt so much. "Auntie, who left those?" she asked quietly, she was confused when her aunt jumped

"Spike" she said quietly, Danni put her arms around Dawn's neck. Dawn smiled and put her arms around Danni's small waist "Thanks Bit" she laid the blanket out in front of the stone and set Danni down on it so her shoes wouldn't get it dirty then sat down herself.

"Look Nana! We brought you flowers." Danni exclaimed laying the flowers down beside Spikes. "Spike brought you flowers too Nanny, why did Spike bring you flowers?" Dannie questioned the stone; Dawn watched her turn towards her with questioning eyes

"Spike loved Nanny just like mommy and I did, he said Nanny was the only person other than me that treated him like a man instead of a monster" Dawn explained tracing the letters on the gravestone "Spike was the one person I never saw some many emotions when surrounded by everyone" Dawn wiped away a few tears as she began reliving the day she was told Joyce was dead "But the day we were told that Nanny had gone to heaven, Spike was the first to cry…" Dawn trailed off, seeing the memory in her mind like it had happened yesterday "He stayed with me for a week in my room, both of us crying." Dawn didn't feel right telling Danni about how after that week Spike had left her to peruse Buffy and do what ever it took to drive a wedge between her and Reilly.

"Wow Nanny, you must have been one great lady" Danni smiled

"Danni there's something you need to know, and I cant trust your mom to tell you so I'm going to" Dawn took a deep breath as the five year old looked at her inquisitively, Dawn dropped her head "After I tell you this, even if you are really young, if you don't want to be around me anymore I'll understand completely" tiny arms wrapped around her neck

"Auntie I will always love you, and don't forget that!" Dawn's heart jumped "Nothing you say can make me not want to be around you, you're awesome!" Dawn smiled as she set the child back down in front of her

"You're sweet Bit. I don't know how to put this so you will understand, I mean I don't even fully understand it or why I'm still here" Danni cocked her head to the side, making Dawn mentally giggle "I guess I'll just give it to you like it was explained to me. Bit, I'm not real. I've only been around for four more years than you have, technically my body is only nine years old" Danni looked more confused than Dawn imagined she had looked when everything was explained to her "My body was created by a bunch of men from the Order of the Dragon, to keep what they called the key safe form Glory. They sent the key to the Slayer in the form of a fourteen-year-old sister, named Dawn. My existence before I was created was put into everyone around the Slayer's memories, making it seem like I had always been there. No one questioned my being there until your mom got it in her head that she could see what was wrong with Nanny with a spell, but the spell didn't show anything wrong with Nanny though it did reveal that I hadn't always been there and that made your mom so mad that she assumed it was me making Nanny sick and she attacked me and said some horrible things" Danni looked almost angry "After she confronted one of the monks she finally accepted that I was the key, the thing that Glory was after and that I needed to be protected" Danni looked up at her aunt

"So if your not really what are you?"

"To put it simply Bit, I'm really just a floating ball of green energy. I am the key. I used to be able to open a portal that led to every dimension flooding into ours and effectively killing off the human race" Dawn put as bluntly as she had put everything else, there was no use sugar coating it for the girl, she lived on a hell mouth sugar coating things would only lead to her early death.

"Oh cool" Danni said nonchalantly, Dawn was almost surprised but just shrugged it off as Danni being the smartest and most non-judging five year old in existence.

"Come on Nibblet, we'll be late for lunch with Aunt Tara"

_Characters ages, just to clarify _

_Tara- 28_

_Dawn- 23_

_Buffy- 26 turning 27_

_Giles- 53_

_Danni - 5_


	6. Chapter 6

Ch 6

Dawn sighed she couldn't believe she was arguing with a child, she also couldn't believe what they were arguing about. "For the last time Danni, you are not coming with me tonight. Your mother would kill me if she knew I took you out there" Dawn pinched the bridge of her nose, Danni stomped her foot

"I thought you were cool!" she yelled before running up stairs and slamming her bedroom door. Tara came out of the kitchen drying her hands on a tea towel

"What was that about?" she asked meekly

"Danni has been asking me all day to come out with me tonight" Dawn explained

"So why not take her? From what I hear there hasn't been much beastie activity lately" Dawn's jaw dropped

"Do you know how horrid I would feel if _anything_ happened to that little girl! It would kill me to lose her, she's the only thing besides you that keeps me in this hellhole!" Dawn fought, tears pricking her eyes as she realized she really had nothing but these two women tying her to this hell.

"I believe in you Dawn, I believe you can protect her. And I know it would kill you to lose her, but I think you can do it, you've had all the slayer training plus you can wield the magicks" Tara smiled, wiping Dawn's tears away with her thumb. "You may not see it Dawn but you're her Spike" Dawn's eyes snapped to the blonde witch's face in confusion, Tara nodded "You may not have fangs or an outdated leather duster but you treat her exactly how Spike treated you when you needed someone, I know you wont let anything touch her like Spike wouldn't let anything touch you." Dawn didn't know what to say, Tara smiled again before kissing Dawn's cheek and walking back to the kitchen. She sighed, she knew Tara was right she knew she could protect Danni she just didn't want to take the chance of any demons getting their hands on her. She sighed again before making her way upstairs towards the child's room, she knocked "Danni can I come in?"

"No" she yelled

"Please Bit, I wanna talk"

"Fine" Dawn opened the girl's door and found her standing with her arms crossed and her back turned

"Bit please look at me" Dawn begged, Danni turned and Dawn's breath caught in her throat, the look of almost pure hate on the small girls face was like a stake to the heart. Dawn suddenly wondered if that's how Spike felt every time they fought and she looked at him like that.

"I hate you Auntie Dawn, you're not even really my aunt! Your not even real!" Danni yelled, Dawn was floored she couldn't even begin to conjure up a response for the child. Tears slipped down Dawn's cheeks before she even registered she was crying, she took one last painful look at the look of hate of Danni's small face and just ran from the room, down the stairs and out the back door before Tara could even ask her where she was going, Dawn collapsed in the backyard, falling to her knees and sobbing into her hands. Tara fell to her knees beside the sobbing woman, pulling her into her small body

"What the hell?" Tara asked worried, she rarely cursed but now seemed like a good time

"She hates me" Dawn sobbed, "She said she hated me, that I wasn't really her aunt, that I wasn't even real!" Dawn cried harder recalling to the witch what the small child had said. Tara sighed and rubbed the woman's back trying to calm her down

"Dawn do you remember the first day you found out Buffy and Spike were having sex?"

"How could I not" she replied weakly, sniffing

"You remember he went to your room to talk to you and you yelled at him and told him you hated him and never wanted to see him again?" Dawn nodded looking up at the witch "Do you know what he did when he left your room?" she shook her head, she had suspected he'd gone off with Buffy "He came out here, sat in that chair" Tara pointed to Joyce's favorite chair on the porch "And cried to me about how he didn't know why you hated him and how he vowed to make it up to you and make sure you never hated him again" more tears prepared themselves on Dawn's lashes, but she refused to let them fall

"How am I supposed to make up the fact I'm not real to her? She's got Buffy's stubbornness and anger. I mean god all she needs is Slayer powers and you've got Buffy in a five year old's body" Dawn sighed, slightly hiccupping.

"That may be true but they both have more than that in common, they both love you very much and now have both said some very hurtful things to you but you have to remember that deep down they _still_ love you very much" Dawn hugged the witch suddenly

"What would I do without you Tar?" she sniffled

"Well you would have left a long time ago I know that, and you wouldn't have had a wonderful niece standing on the porch behind you crying" Dawn spun around, there Danni was holding herself, like her mother does, tears staining her pale face staring at Dawn like a lost puppy, tears rolled down Dawn's face once again as the small child ran forward and threw her arms around her neck. "I'm so sorry Auntie Dawn!" Danni sobbed

"It's ok Bit" Dawn mumbled into the girls shoulder, not noticing Tara moving back into the house. Dawn and Danni stayed there until Danni fell asleep, sighing Dawn picked up the sleeping girl and carried her back into the house

"I'll take her, you go out" Tara smiled and took the small girl form Dawn's arms. Dawn nodded before grabbing her hoddie and pulling it over her head, pulling her hair back into a high ponytail and sticking a stake down her sleeve. She kissed Tara's cheek "Lock the door once I'm gone" Tara nodded

The graveyard was oddly quiet and it slightly worried Dawn that something was brewing, she sighed passing Joyce's grave knowing she didn't have the time or energy to stop and talk, which depressed her. She had cast a small spell on the way to mask her sent with the sent of her sister, put her one ear phone in and turned on her rave music. She didn't know why she liked rave music, but it filled her with a fire that nothing else did and while out in the graveyard fighting baddies fire is exactly what she needed. She trusted her senses enough to not need her ears like her older sister, she moved between the stones like she owned the place. She spun when someone cleared their throat behind her "The Slayer usually dresses better" the vampire joked

"Really? Good thing I'm not the Slayer then huh?" Dawn pictured what she always did when she was out, Spike, she let the pent up anger he left her with out on the vampire dusting him in minutes. She sighed "Too easy" she knew it could be hours before she found another vamp or demon; it was going to be a long night. She moved away from Joyce's grave

Spike sat in the recliner in his crypt his trusty bottle of Jack beside him, getting him through the painfully long night; there was nothing on TV and last he heard the Slayer was in China with the Watcher and as he had no idea where the Bit was he wasn't going to go out and search for her if she wasn't even in Sunnyhell anymore, if she'd even want to see him after he just left her ignoring her calling his name behind him. He cringed as relived the memory behind closed eyes; she looked so devastated as the Slayer yelled in his face about bollocks knows what, he just stood there and watched as she tried to break away from the Watcher who was holding her back. He wasn't one hundred percent sure what she was going to do but she was eighteen by then she should have been able to do what she wanted. He snarled as the memory continued, he almost hadn't had the strength to walk away from her, her screams still haunted him as he walked the earth waking him from a dead sleep in a cold sweat, a constant reminder of how much he'd fucked up. He growled, took one last sip form the bottle and threw it against the stonewall, his hands went to his head and he snarled _"Spike! Don't leave me! Spike!"_ her voice had sounded so broken, he could still smell the salt from her tears _"Spike please!"_

_He stood in front of Buffy; if looks could kill he would have been dust as soon as the Slayer had caught up with him. The others hadn't caught up yet and he was slightly thankful, he pulled a box out of the pocket of his duster, a ribbon around it marked it as a present. Buffy glared at him "Gifts aren't going to change my mind Spike, I want you out of my town"_

"_It's not for you Slayer. Little Bit's birthday is coming up and as I wont be here I was foolishly hoping one of you would give it to her for me" he knew he sounded pathetic but as Buffy had grown to hate him over the past few months, he and Dawn had gotten closer and he wasn't quiet sure what he was feeling for the eighteen year old but it wasn't completely friendship. Buffy ripped the box from his hands and ripped the ribbon off "Hey!" he protested, she ignored him and opened the box. In side was a elaborately decorated porcelain container, she flipped open the container revealing a gleam of silver on a red pillow, she picked up a silver ring out of the box, it was beautiful; the band was about a centimeter wide wrapping around into Celtic knots on either side with the traditional Claddagh symbol of two hands holding a heart topped with a crown, she noticed that above the crown was an intricate Celtic love knot. Buffy just stared at it, sure Angel had given her one when she was seventeen but it was nothing like this one, she hated the man in front of her but nodded to signal she would give it to her sister. Spike sighed and watched as Dawn came running up the street the Watcher close behind her, Giles grabbed her arms and pulled her back away from him, he could smell the salt from her tears. Buffy started yelling at him, it was a show for Dawn and the others as he'd already said he'd leave, he starred at Dawn the whole screaming fit from the Slayer. She fought and writhed trying to free herself from the Watcher and run to him but Giles held fast and firm, it took everything he had not to rip the old man's hands off of her and take her with him. Once Buffy was done yelling out her frustration, he turned and began walking away, unnoticed salt water running down his face, he could hear Dawn screaming but he kept walking, it was better for everyone that they forgot about him and that Dawn moved on and lived a normal life._

He couldn't take it anymore he had to get out and had to kill something. His game face already on he grabbed his duster and swished out of the stone tomb. He stopped outside the door and inhaled deeply, it was unnecessary but it helped him catch the sent of a supposedly absent Slayer, he smirked he hadn't had a good round of beat the Slayer in a long time. He stalked towards where the sent was coming from, the sent suddenly becoming laced with the smell of cigarette smoke _"So the Slayer has taken up smoking"_ he thought laughing. He continued following the sent until he found a hooded figure standing under a willow tree nursing his brand of smokes. He knew the figure wasn't the Slayer; the figure had long dark hair and a pale complexion as he could tell from her hands but he couldn't wrap his mind around why the figure smelled like the Slayer and nothing else. He chalked it up to it being one of the potentials that stuck around and her sent was some sort of spell Red had cast. He snarled his demon raging though him "Those will kill you"

* * *

_There is a picture of the ring I described on my profile page for those how cant quite picture it._


	7. Dear Readers

Dear readers

I am currently taking a break from this story and am working on another; it was nagging at me and now that I have started it wont stop flowing. I am three chapters in and it is twenty-one pages long and 10000 words. It would mean a lot to me if those who have so faithfully read this story to read that one and let me know what you think about it. Please if you have some spare time it would mean a lot to me if you read it. Yes it's a Harry Potter story but I have always been a Harry Potter fan.

Its called _I'm going to love her for both of us_.

Thank you in advance

H.Q.


End file.
